House framing jigs



E. 'H- LANDIS, JR

May 3, 1960 HOUSE FRAMING JIGS v 2 Sheets-Shani.v 1

Filed Sept. '1, 1954 INVENTOR- EARLE 1H, LANDIS,JR.

May 3, 1960 E. H. LAND|S,JR 2,935,103

HOUSE FRAMING JIGS Filed Sept. 1, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .T/VVE/VTOR EARLE H. LANDIS, JR.

HOUSE FRAMING JIGS Earle H. Landis, Jr., Wood-Ridge, NJ.

Application September 1, 1954, Serial No. 453,471 Claims. (Cl. 144-288) This invention relates to the building trade and more particularly to novel jigs useful in constructing the frames of buildings.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide building jigs of forms that enable the builder to construct sturdy frames quickly, etficiently and with a minimum of measurements.

Another object is to provide jigs of a basic type which enable a builder to rapidly assemble and secure in predetermined relation such frame elements as floor and ceiling joists, studs for walls and partitions and the ridge beam and rafters for roofs.

The foregoing objects are accomplished by providing elongated members with a plurality of seats disposed at predetermined spaced points along each member to receive therein the end portions of framed elements. Two such members are usually used together in spaced relation to receive and thereby locate the framed elements in position. One elongated member, used for ridge nailing is provided with two rows of seats disposed in paral-v lel relation with a space therebetween to seat a ridge beam. The seats are made of fiat plate stock with unturned flanges at right angles to'the center portion thus presenting a U-shaped seat to receive the end portion of a joist, a stud or a rafter, as the case may be. The ridge jig includes braces to support it in adjusted position above the ceiling joists with the ridge beam supported lengthwise on the jig between the two rows of seats, the seats being disposed at a suitable angle to receive the upper ends of rafters.

For a further understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of one embodiment of the invention useful as a ridge nailing jig, showing jig braces and a few rafters in position;

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation of the jig as viewed from the right in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side and end view of a spring lock pin used in the adjustable braces of the jig shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a side view of a second embodiment useful as a joist nailing jig;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 4; I

Figs. 6 and 7 are cross-sectional and side views respectively of a jig identical to the one shown in Fig. 4 except that it is disposed to hold ceiling joists in position for nailing;

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of still another embodiment useful as a stud nailing jig showing two studs in position for nailing;

Figs. 9and 10 are cross-sectional views taken along lines 9-9 and 10-10 respectively of Fig. 8, and

Fig. 11 is side and end views' of.a square spring lock pin used in assembling the parts of the jig shown in Fig. 8.

The practice heretofore was usually to build a scaffold when a ridge beam and rafters were to be nailed in posi- 'tion. This practice is objectionable because it is time consuming, requires additional materials and is often dangerted States Patent ous for the carpenter. These objections are overcome by this invention by means of the jig shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This jig is provided with five adjustable supporting braces, the lower portion 1 of each brace being made of tubing and the upper portion of rod stock 2. Four of the braces are disposed in pairs, one pair at each end of the elongated member 3 as indicated at 5, 6, Fig. 2 and at '7, Fig. 1. The fifth brace 8 is connected to the center of the member 3. The tube and rod combination is provided with a series of holes 9 as shown in Fig. 2 whereby each brace may be adjusted in length and held in desired adjustment by a spring lock pin 10 received in aligned holes passing through the tube and rod. The side braces 5, 6 and 7 are pivoted at their upper ends to the member 3 by pins 10a so they can be swung to desired lateral bracing positions indicated in Fig. 2. Brace 8 is likewise pivoted on a pin at right angles to the longitudinal axis of member 3. Each of the braces is provided with a foot 11 by which it may be anchored in position on a joist by a nail 12. On top of the elongated member 3 is a long flat area onto which the ridge beam 13 is located between two rows of seats 14. Each seat 14 is made of sheet stock in the form of a U having a bottom 14a disposed at a suitable angle to support the rafter and two side flanges 14b and Ida to hold the rafter in desired position in abutting relation with the side of the ridge beam. The rafters thus positioned are ready for nailing to the ridge beam at their upper ends and to the joists at their lower ends.

The ridge jig is placed in position on the joist by first determining the center line on the house which may then be marked with a chalk line. By measuring correspond? ing distances such as four feet, for example, to each side of the chalk line the desired location for the side braces 5 and 6 shown in Fig. 2 is determined. The ridge beam 13 may be positioned on the jig between the seats 14 prior to lifting the jig or if desired the beam may be positioned on the jig after the jig is raised to the desired position. A plumb line is secured to one end of the jig or the ridge beam to aid in locating the beam position. The jig is raised and the side braces are nailed at the measured points on the opposite sides of the center line. The fifth or center brace 8 is movable along the center line to a suitable bracing angle until the plumb line indicates vertical alignment of one end of the ridge beam with respect to the exterior of the end wall of the house. By means of a ladder of a size sufiicient to fit between rafters a man on the ladder can nail the upper ends of the adjacent rafters 16 while a second man can nail the lower ends of the rafters to the ceiling joists. From the foregoing it will be clear that the only measurements required for the rafter location are the location of the ridge beam and the initial length of the rafters. Once the rafters are placed on the seats of the jig they may be nailed in position relying on the spacing predetermined by the seats of the jig. After the rafters are nailed in position the ridge jig and its supporting members may be removed for use elsewhere.

The ridge jig is twelve feet long for convenience of handling and ten pairs of rafters can be nailed in at one setting. For convenience of handling and transportation all of these jigs are held together by spring lock pins 10 which means they can be completely set up in a matter of minutes. They are made completely of aluminum which is light and easy to handle.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing, a second embodiment of the invention is shown which is useful for nailing joists either iioor or ceiling. This jig comprises two elongated members 17, one only being shown. The member 17 is preferably of angle shape in cross section onto which are mounted a series of U shaped seats 18. The elongated members are provided with raised lips 19 which are convenient in removing the jigs after the joists supported thereon have been nailed. To install floor joists 20, Figs. 4 and 5, one of the elongated members is placed in overlying position along the sill plate 21 and nailed thereto to secure it in position. A second jig member like 17 is located'on the center girder of the house parallel to the outside edge of the sill plate 21 and nailed securely. The two elongated members together with their aligned seats 18 enable the builder to quickly place the floor joists in the seats without any other measurements to be made other than the measurement required for the length of the joists. With the joists thus located they are nailed firmly in place and the jigs removed.

The same two jigs may be used as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 for locating and nailing the ceiling joists. By locating the first ceiling joist in its usual position next to the inside edge of the exterior partition the joist jig shown in Fig. 4 may be mounted by nailing the base of the jig 17 against the inside of the top plate 22. The second joist jig is placed on the inside main partition opposite and parallel to the first mentioned jig with the seats 18 in upright position as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The ceiling joists 23 are then placed in the seats 18 and nailed in position. The jigs are then removed and again positioned to receive the next set of joists.

Referring to Figs. 8 to 11, a third embodiment is illustrated, useful as a stud nailing jig. In Fig. 8 the jig is shown to comprise two elongated members 30 and 31 supported in spaced parallel relation by braces 32, 33 and 34, 35. These braces are connected to the members 30 and 31 and to each other at their cross overs by rectangular pins such as shown at 36, Fig. 11 to'make the jig rigid. This jig is placed in a horizontal position and the bottom plate 37 and the top plate 38 of a wall frame are located adjacent the members 31 and 30, respectively. Studs are placed in the aligned seats 39 and 4b as indicated by the two studs 41 and 42. With all the studs thus positioned in the jig they may be nailed to the plates 37 and 38. After the plates 37 and 38 are nailed to the studs 41, 42, et cetera, the resulting frame is removed from the jig and erected in position. the jig is preferably 8 feet square four such sections may be connected end to end to make a wall up to 32 feet in length where desired. The elongated members 30 and 31 are preferably offset as shown at 43 to provide space to receive the seats as indicatedfor seat 39, Fig. 9 and for mounting the braces such as indicated at 32. The seats 39 each comprise a bottom portion 45 and two side flanges 46 and 47 and each seat is secured to the members 36 and 31 by a bolt 48 or other suitable means.

While the jigs may be made of any suitable material it is preferred that'they be of light weight material such as aluminum. While the seats may be made integral with the longitudinal members of the jigs they are preferably made of sheet stock and secured thereto by any suitable means such as bolts 48, Figs. 9 and 10. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that the jigs of this invention being light in weight can be easily manipulated and used Sincefor rapid house frame assembly. No measurements for location of frame elements is required. The only'measuring necessary is the precutting of the frame elements in the required lengths. Once this is done the frame elements need merely be positioned in the seats of the jigs and immediately nailed. Where doors and Windows are to be located these are determined and the studs that would normally interfere are omitted during the assembly. The doors and Windows are roughed in in the usual manner after the studs of the remaining walls are located and nailed in position by means of the jig.

It will be understood, of course, that this disclosure is given by way of example only, rather than by limitation, and that without departing from the invention the details may e rie wit i the scope 9f t ppended I claim: a

I. A ridge nailing jig comprising an elongated member, means to support said member in an elevated position, said member having rafter seats disposed in pairs at predetermined points therealong, the seats of each pair being spaced apart to receive a ridge beam therebetween lengthwise of said elongated member, each of said seats having side portions to present a U-shaped seat to receive the endportion of a rafter and support it in abutting relation to said ridge beam where it can be nailed to said ridge beam.

2. A ridge nailing jig according to claim 1 wherein the means to support said member includes two legs hinged at each end of said member and one leg hinged to said member at a point between the ends thereof, the hinges of said end legs being disposed to permit the end legs to be angled to opposite sides of said member while the hinge of said one leg is disposed to permit said one leg to be angled in a direction lengthwise of said member, and means to anchor the bottom ends of all of said legs to brace said member in elevated position.

3. A ridge nailing jig according to claim 2 wherein said legs each comprises two telescoping sections whereby the length of the leg may be adjusted, one of said sections having a series of openings spaced along the length thereof and the other of said sections having a spring lock pin selectively engageablewith said openings to hold said sections in adjusted position.

4. A building jig for use in constructing the ridge beam-rafter frame of buildings comprising an elongated member, a plurality of seats disposed at predetermined spaced points lengthwise of said member, said seats each having three parts disposed to present the bottom and two sides of a U-shaped seat, said parts being spaced to receive the end portion of a rafter and hold it in position for nailing, said seats being disposed in two rows one on each side of said elongated member, the corresponding seats of the two rows being spaced apart to provide a channel therebetween into which a ridge beam is receivable parallel of said elongated member, the bottom portions of the corresponding seats of said two rows b..- ing angularly disposed relative to said elongated member to locate the end portion of opposed rafters in. abutting relation to opposite sides of said ridge beam whereby' the rafters may be nailed to said ridge beam, the jig be- I ing thereafter removable for use elsewhere.

5. A building jig comprising an elongated member having a row of seats spaced at positions along said member and disposed to one sideof said member, said member having an elongatedsurface adjacent said seats for reception thereon of a first frame element in juxtaposition to said row of seats, saidseats having bottom portions disposed laterally atan angle to said elongated surface and two side portions extending laterally of said member to present U-shaped seats to receive and support the end portions of other frame elements in abutting relation to one side of said first frame element whereby said first and other frame elements can be nailed together, and after they are nailed together the jig' may be removed leaving said first and other elements assembled as a rigid frame.

References Cited inthe file of this patent 

